Advertisement Onalaska Tourism Director Jean Lunde said Waterfront Day will include fishing, biking, hiking, bird watching and more. The day coincides with free National Bike Trail Day and Wisconsin free fishing and free state park day.
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Onalaska Tourism Director Jean Lunde wants area people to get to know what Onalaska’s Black River waterfront has to offer and what more is in store.
Photo by Jo Anne Killeen |
“It’s something I’ve been looking forward to personally,” Mayor Mike Giese said of the event. “Kathy (his wife) and I get down there often and walk around. It’s such a beautiful resource, I’d like to bring it to the attention of everyone. Just come down, walk around and enjoy the wonderful waterfront.”
The event also will be an opportunity to get an on-site idea of the plans for development of the waterfront. City Land Use and Development Director Jason Gilman and the waterfront management team will answer questions about the many changes in store for the area. They will have maps showing the waterfront master plan and will give waterfront tours to points of interest.
The event will be held rain or shine as many of the activities will occur at booths under a tent at the old bait shop at Highway 35 and Irvin Street.
Centering Onalaska, a civic group dedicated to beautifying and promoting the downtown area, will have a booth and provide walking tours of the downtown district.
Other booths will have representatives from the Minds in Motion Bike Tour, the Great River Road/National Scenic Byways department and from a Native American group displaying artifacts and talking about the proposed Cultural Center.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will conduct bicycle tours starting at the parking lot and going up to the Sunny the Sunfish monument and to the gazebo on Highway 35.
Expected to be popular is the University of Minnesota Raptor Center’s presentation of a live eagle and three other raptors from noon to 1 p.m.
Other activities throughout the day will occur down by the water, including a free youth fishing tournament, canoe/kayak demonstrations by Three Rivers Outdoors and two short history/eco tours on the Black River by Mississippi Explorer Cruises.
Among other events, the afternoon includes tours to an archeological dig on Sand Lake Road being conducted by the Mississippi Valley Archeology Center.
Food will be available for purchase from Maggie’s on Main and Traditions booths.
Lunde said it would be nice to make Waterfront Day an annual tradition, but that would require a lot of volunteers.
For details, call the tourism office at 781-9570 or log onto www.discoveronalaska.com.
Waterfront Day schedule
Onalaska’s Waterfront Day event runs 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 6, rain or shine in the historic downtown and waterfront area around Second Avenue and Main Street
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to celebrate Wisconsin free trails day, free fishing day and open house at state parks
